Rotary snow plow



July 18, 1939.

B. R. wATKlNs 2,166,667

,Y ROTARY 4SNOW PLOW Filed Maron 2, 1938 4 sheets-sheet 1 WITNESS ROTARY' SNOW PLOW Filed March 28. 1958 4 sheets-sheet 2 An'oRNEY's lJuly 18,1939. YB. wA'rKlNs ROTARY SNOW PLOW 4 Shes-Sheet 3 Filed March 28, 1938 Mii/Ez INVENTOR f @Wg/amy@- WITNESS July 18, 1939- Es. R. wATKlNs ROTARY sNow PLOW Filed March 28, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet v4 WITNESS ATTORN EVS Patented July 18, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE alsace-x ao'rsar snow rLow am a. Watkins. Austin, Mum.

Ammann ma 2s, 193s, serai No. 19am h 1s calm. .tot .av-4s) This invention relates to snow plows of the rotary type especially adapted for clearing roads or highways from snow and operable by and in advance of trucks', tractors or similar devices, and

5 has for the Aprimary .object the provision` of a device of this character which will rapidly and eillciently remove' snow when frozen or non-frozen and also ice formations from a road leaving the latter substantially-clear for use by ordinary l vehicle trame, the device including grouped rotary cutters and a laterally arranged rotary cutter cooperating therewith to cut snow and gather the latterto a pneumatic discharge apparatus which exhuasts said snow well beyond a side le shoulder or gutter of the road and thereby eliminates banking of lsnow .on the shoulderor in the gutter of the road to act as a medium for bringing about 4drifting of the snow of the next storm on 'the fread, a situation frequently 'brought 20 about through the use of snow .piows of the conventional construction.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts 25 to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention,

reference is 'to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

30 Figure 1' is a side elevation partly in section illustrating a snow plow constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing the saune adapted to a motor truck, only a fragmentary portion of the latter being disclosed.

36 Figure 2 is a iront elevation illustrating the snow plow. l y p Figure 3 is a top plan view, partly in section, illustrating the device. o

. Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view allowing 4o the rotary cutters and the laterally arranged rotary cutter as well as the suctionl fan.

Figure 5 is a Vi'ragntientary horizontalsectional view showing the connection of 'the laterally artersranged cutter on the housing of the rotary cut- Referring in detail to the drawings,'the numeral I indicates a supporting frame to be mounted on the iront end of a motor truck 2,

is shownjn Figure 1. A housing is slidably andvlio pivotally mounted'in elongated slots provided ,in

the supporting frame I and has a limited sliding movement on said frame. I'he housing 3 besides being supported by the Iframe I is also supported by ground skids l.. The housing 3 is of a shape '55 to present a comparatively large mouth I in the front thereof and located along the upper` 4and lower edges of said mouth are relatively spaced teeth '6 for biting into snow, ice an'd the like. The shape of the housing l also presents a fan chamber 'I in the rear portion of the housing to which is connected an exhaust pipe 8, the discharge endof which is laterally disposed of the housing. A suction fan 9 operates in the fan chamber, the shaft 0f which is indicated. by the character I0 and is shown as being journaled in the rear wall of the housing.= 'Ihe blades of the fan have pitches which act to draw snow within the housing 3 entering the latter by way of the mouth into the fan chamber and to expel the snow through the exhaust pipe 8. The shaft I0 is connectedto a power shaft I I by sprocket gears and a sprocket chain indicated generally by the character I2. The power shaft may be connected to a power source carried by the truck 2 or may be driven by the engine of the truck through a suitable power takeoff. While this device has been described as being mounted on a truck and shown that way in Figure 1, it is to be understood that its application to a tractor or similar device can be easily had. Rotatably supported by the housing 3 adjacent the mouth 5 thereof is a plurality of relatively spaced shafts I3 on which are mounted rotary cutters I l each including radially extending blades having toothed ends adapted to bite into snow or ice for cutting the same during the rotation of said shafts and to feed the snow and ice into the housing 3 wherein the fan acts on the snow and ice to expel the same through the exhaust pipe 8.- Dlu'ng the rotation of the shafts I3 the blades move outwardly of the housing.. The lower teeth 6 of the mouth move along the surface of the roadway while the uppermost teeth 6 are adapted to enter and bite into snow of considerable depth. The teeth 6 are disposed at an inclination so that during the forward movement of the plow they tend to direct snow into engagement with the blades of' the rotary cutters and they in turn cut the snow andfeed the same into the housing 3. Sprocket gears l5 are secured to the shafts I3 of the rotary cutters and are connected by an endless sprocket chain I6` in such way that the rotary cutters adjacent to one another rotate in Opposite directions. The sprocket' chain I6 is trained over a sprocket gear I8 secured on a. shaft I9, the latter being journaled on the hang- 'ers I8' carried by the housing 3 and connected to the power shaft through the use of a worm and worm gear 2l and 2|, respectively. The sprocket chain It is also trained over an idler sprocket gear 22 adjustably mounted on the housing 3 whereby slack may be removed from the sprocket 'a chain l5.

491s provided between the lever 41 and the neck 21 the jacks may be of form no Dart of the The shaft i8 is adjustable on the hangers I8' to permit slack to be removed from the sprocket chain.

One side of the housing 3 has a comparatively large opening 24 covered by a plate 25 slidably mounted on said housing, as shown at 28. The plate 25 has formed thereon a neck 21 always in communication with the opening 24 regardless of the adjusted positions of the plate 25 on the housing 3 and movably mounted in the neck is one end of a tubular housing 28 provided with a mouth 28 inthe front thereof. Located along one edge of the mouth 28 are spaced teeth 30. A rotatable spiral cutter 3| is journaled in the tubular housing 28, the edges of the spirals being toothed, as shown at 32. The rotatable spiral cutter projects slightly outwardly of the mouth 28 and acts to cut snow, gather the same and feed the snow into the housing l by way of the neck 21 and opening in theside of said housing so that thesnow will be discharged in the housing between the rotary cutters and the suction fan. Said suction fan gathers the snow and discharges the same through the exhaust pipe 5. The shaft of the spiral cutter has a sprocket gear secured thereto and is connected to a sprocket gear by a sprocket chain 85. The elongated slots provided in the supporting frame i will permit the snow plow to be longitudinally adjusted thereon, thereby permitting all slack to be removed from the sprocket chains i8 and 4I and to assure the efficient operation of the device at all times. The sprocket gear 84 is securedon a shaft l5 including in its construction universal joints 81 and a slip joint 88. The shaft 35 is supported by the tubular housing and a part of the frame vI and has secured thereto a sprocket gear 88 connected to a` sprocket gear 48 on the shaft i! by a sprocket chain 4i. Thus it will be seen that the. rotary cutters at the'mouth of the housingl and the spiral cutter in the tubular housing 28 are driven from the power shaft Il.

Levers 42 are pivotally mounted on the frame I and are connected to the housing 8 by links 43. The levers 42 .engage with jacks 44 mounted on the frame I and of any desired construction preferably of thehydraulic type. so that through the operation of said jacks the housing I may be tilted upwardly and downwardly of the frame I.

A sub-frame 45 is carried by the frame I and supports a jack 46.similar to the jacks 44. The jack 46 is connected to a lever 41 pivoted on the sub-frame, as shown at 48. A flexible connection of the plate 25 so that through operation of the jack 46 the plate 25 may be moved upwardly and downwardly on the housing I to vary the tubular housing 28 with respect to the ground. Mounted on the housing 8 is an arm 58 carrying a jack 5l similar to the heretofore described jack. A lever 52 is secured to the tubular housing adjacent its free end and is pivotally and slidably connected to the jack 5i and has a pivotal and slidable connection with the arm 5I, as shown at 58. Through the operation of the jack 5| the inclination of the tubular housing may be varied. The controls for any desired character and present invention as well as the detail construction of the jacks.

The purpose of the rotary. spiral cutter is for the purpose of cutting and gathering snow on the shoulder or side of a road and feeding said snow linto the' housing 3 to be discharged a desired distance from the road by the fan and the exhaust pipe. The snow in the road is cut and gathered by the rotary cutters operating adjacent the mouth 5 of the housing 3. The use of therotary spiral cutter may at any time be done away with through the removal of the plate 25 and the disconnection of the rotary spiral cutter from the driving mechanism. The opening 24 in the housis then closed by a solid plate (not shown) The housing 28 carries a bracket 28 to which is adjustably secured a brace 28 for aiding in sustaining the housing 28 in proper relation to the housing 3 during the use of the device. 4

What is claimed is:

1. A snow plow comprising a housing having a mouth in the front of said housing, a. suction fan located in the rear portion of the housing, an exhaust pipe forsaid fan carried by the housing and extending laterally thereof, rotary cutters mounted for operation in the housing adjacent' the mouth, a rotary cutter slidably and pivotally mounted on the said housing laterally of the said first-mentioned cutters for cutting and feeding snow into said housing and means for driving said cutters and the fan.

2. A snow plow comprising a housing having a mouth in the front of said housing, a suction fan located in the rear portion of the housing, an exhaust pipe for said fan carried by the housing and extending laterally thereof, rotary cutters mounted for operation in the housing adjacent the mouth, a rotary cutter slidably and pivotally mounted on the housing laterally of the said first mentioned cutters, and a driving mechanism for the. fan and the rotary cutters and rotating the said first-mentioned cutters in opposite directions to one another.

3. A snow plow comprising a housing having a mouth in the front of said housing, a suction fan located in the rear portion of the housing, an exhaust pipe for said fan carried by the housing and extending laterally thereof, rotary cutters mounted for operation in the housing adjacent the mouth, a driving mechanism including sprocket chains for the fan and thev rotary cutters and rotating the cutters in opposite directions to one another, teeth at the upper and lower edges of the mouth and secured on said housing,

ground skids for supporting the forward portion of the housing, a supporting frame having the housing pivotally and slidably mounted thereon forming 'an adjustable means assuring an eilicient coaction between the drive and driven parts means for imparting pivotal movement to said housing for varying its mouth with the respect to the ground, and a rotatable wing auger slidably and pivotally mounted on the said housing and projecting laterally therefrom to direct snow banked at the side thereof into the said housing.

4. A snow plow comprising a housing having a mouth in the front of said housing, a suction fan located in the rear portion of the housing, an exhaust pipe for said fan carried by the housing and extending laterally thereof, rotary cutters mounted for operation in the housing adjacent the mouth, a driving mechanism for the fan' and the rotary cutters and rotating the cutters in opposite directions to one another, teeth at the upper and lower edges of the mouth and secured on said housing, ground skids for supporting the forward portion of -the housing, a supporting frame having the housing pivotally and slidably mounted thereon and adapted for mounting on a motor vehicle.. means for imparting Pivoil movement to said housing for varying its mouth lwith respect to the ground, and a spiral type rofor cutting and feeding vsnow into said housing.

5. A snow plow comprising a housing having a mouth in the front of said housing, a suction fan located in the rear portion of the housing, an exhaust pipe for said fan carried by the housing and extending laterally thereof, rotary cutters mounted for operation inthe housing adjacent the mouth, a driving mechanism for the fan and having the housing pivotally and slidably mounted thereon and adapted for mounting on a motor vehicle, means for imparting pivotal movement to said housing for varying its mouthwith respect to the ground, a tubular housing slidably and pivotally mounted on one side of said first housing and in communication with the latter and having a mouth extending substantially the full length thereof, a toothed rotatable spiral c'utter operating .in the tubular housing for cutting and feeding snow into the rst-named housing,

and means for connecting said spiral cutter to said drive mechanism.

6. A snow plow comprising a housing having a mouth in the front of said housing, a suction fan located inthe rear portion of the housing, an exhaust pipe for said fan carried by the housing and extending laterally thereof, rotary cutters mounted for operation in the housing adjacent the mouth, a driving mechanism for the fan and the` rotary cutters and yrot-ating the cutters in` opposite directions to one another, teeth at the upper and lower edges of the mouth and secured onsaid housing, ground skids for supporting the forward portion of the housing, a supporting frame having the housing pivotally and slidably mounted thereon and adapted for mounting on a motor vehicle, means -for imparting pivotal movement to said housing for varying its mouth with respect to the ground, a tubular housing slidably and pivotally mounted on one side of said first housing and in communication with the latter and having a mouth extending substantially the full length thereof, a toothed rotatable cutting and feeding snow into the first named housing,means for connecting said spiral cutter to said drive mechanism, meansxforl raising and lowering the tubular housing on the first named housing and with respect to theground, and means for varying the inclinations of the tubular housing on the first named housing.

7. A snow plow comprising a housing having a mouth in the front thereof, a suction fan located in the rear portion of the housing, exhaust means for thesaid fan, rotary cutters mounted in the housing adjacent the mouth, a tubular. housing slidably and pivotally mounted on one -side of said housing and communicating therewith, a toothed rotatable spiral cutter in the tubular housing for cutting and feeding snow into the first-named housing, and means for'driving the cutters and 'the said fan.

8. A snow plow comprising a housing having a mouth in the front, and an opening in the side thereof, a suction fan located in the-rear portion of the housing, exhaust means for the said fan, rotary cutters journaled in the housing adjacent the mouth, 'a wing auger slidably and pivotally connected to the said housing adjacent the said opening to direct snow banked at the side thereof into the housing, and drive means for the said auger, cutters and fan.

9. A snow plow comprising a housing having a mouth in the front thereof, a suction fan located housing adjacent the mouth, a drive mechanism for the fan and the rotary cutters, and rotating the cutters in opposite directions to one another, teeth at the upper and lower edges ,of the mouth and secured on said housing, ground skids supporting the forward portion of the housing, a supporting frame having the housing pivotally and slidably mounted thereon and adapted to be supported on a motor vehiclejmeans for imparting pivotal movement to said housing for varying its mouth with respect to the ground, a tubular housing slidably and pivotally mounted on one side of said first housing, in communication therewith, and having a mouth extending sub- .stantially the full length thereof, a toothed routatable cutter in the tubular housing for cutting cated in a rear portion of the housing, exhaust means for said fan, rotary cutters mounted in the housing adjacent the mouth, a driving mechanism for the fan and the rotary cutters, and rotating the cutters in opposite directions to one another, ground skids supporting the forward portion of the housing, a supporting frame attached to a motor vehicle and having the housing pivotally and slidably mounted thereon, means for imparting pivotal movement to said housing for varying its mouth with respect to the ground, a tubular. housing slidably and pivotally mounted on one side of said first housing and inA communication therewith, a toothed rotatable spiral cutter operating in the tubular housing for cutting and feeding snow into the first-named housing,

and means connecting said spiral cutter to said' drive mechanism.

11. A snow plow comprising a housing having a mouth in the front thereof, a suction fan located in the rear portion of the housing, exhaust means for the said fan, rotary cutters mounted in the housing adjacent the mouth, a driving mechanismfor the fan and the rotary cutters, and rotating the cutters in opposite direction to one another, a supporting frame mounted on a motor vehicle and having the housing pivotally and slidably mounted thereto, means for imparting a vertical pivotal movement to said housing, a tubular housing slidably and pivotally mounted on one side of said first-mentioned housing and in communication therewith, a toothed rotatable spiral cutter operating in the tubular housing 'haust means for the said fan, rotary cutters jour-v nalled in the housing adjacent the mouth, a driving mechanism for the lfan and the said cutters,-

a tubular housing slidable and vpivotally mounted on one side o f the said rst housing and in` communication therewith, a toothed rotatable spiral cutter operating in the housing for cutting and feeding snow into the first-named housing, and means for connecting said spiral cutter to said drive mechanism. l

13. A snow plow comprising a housing having a mouth in the front thereof, a suction fan 1ocated in the rear portion of the housing, exhaust means for the said fan, rotary cutters journalled in the housing adjacent the mouth, a drive mechanism for the fan and said rotary cutters, a supporting frame carried by a motor vehicle and having the housing pivotally and slidably mounted thereon, means for imparting a vertical pivotal movement to said housing, a tubular housing projecting laterally of the said irst- `mentioned housing and slidably 'and pivotally connected thereto, a rotatable cutter operating in the tubular housingfor cutting and -feedlng snow into the mst-named housing, and means to rotate said vlast-mentioned cutter.

14. A snow plow comprising a housing having a mouth in the front thereof, rotary cutters journalled in the housing adjacent the mouth,

and means to discharge the snow from the said' housing, a drive mechanism for the discharge means and said rotary cutters, a tubular housing slidably and pivotally mounted on one side of said first named housing and in communication therewith, a rotatable spiral cutter mounted in the tubular housing for cutting and feeding snow into the first-named housing, and means for connecting said spiral cutter to said drive mechanism 15. A snow plow comprising the combination of a housing having a mouth in the front thereof, rotary cutters mounted in the housing adjacent the mouth, a rotatable. cutter extending laterally of the said housing and having a slidable and pivotal connection therewith, means to rotate the said cutters, and `means to discharge the'snow from the said housing.

16. A snow plow comprising a housing having a mouth in the front thereof, rotary cutters mounted in the housing adjacent the mouth, a-

supporting frame attached to a motor vehicle and having the housing pivotally and slidably mounted thereon, means for imparting a vertical pivotal' movement to the housing, a tubular housing slidably Iand pivotally mounted on one side of said iirst housing and in communication therewith, a toothed rotatable spiral cutter operating in the tubular housing for cutting and feeding snow into the first-named housing, a drive mechanism for the said cutters, means for raising and lowering the tubular housing;I means for varying the inclinations of the tubular housing with respect to the said mst-mentionedl housing, a'nd means to discharge the said snow from the said housing.

17. A snow plow comprising a housing having a mouth in the front thereof, a plurality of spaced.

rows of cutters extending horizontally across the mouth of the said housing and projecting forwardly thereof, a driving mechanism to rotate adjacent rows of cutters in opposite directions, a tubular housing slidably and pivotally mounted on one side of said nrst housing, in communication therewith, and having a mouth extending substantially the full length thereof, a toothed rotatable spiral cutter-operating in the tubular.

cutters in opposite directions to one'another, a supporting frame attached to a motor vehicle' and having the housing pivotally and slidably mounted thereto, means for imparting a vertical pivotal movement to the housing, a tubular housing slidably and pivotaliy mounted on one side of said nrst housing and in communication therewith, a toothed rotatable spiral cutter operating in the tubular housing for cutting and feeding snow into the mst-named housing, means for connecting said spiral cutter to said drive mechanism, means for raising and loweringthe tubular housing on the first-named housing, means for varying the inclinations of the'tubular housing on the mst-named housing, and means to discharge the said snow from the housing.

BERT R. WATKINS. 

